The Olympic opening ceremony takes place on Friday, with the competitive action due to begin the following morning. Chief Sports Writer Scott Wilson profiles the 17 sportsmen and women from the North-East and North Yorkshire set to compete in Rio.

ATHLETICS

The Northern Echo:

Alyson Dixon (Marathon)
Hometown: Sunderland
Age: 37
Previous Olympics: None

Dixon, who is a member of Sunderland Strollers, booked her place at the Olympics when she was the fastest domestic finisher at this year’s London Marathon.

She suffered a major disappointment when an injury prevented her from finishing the marathon at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, but heads to Rio in the best form of her life.

Competing: August 14 – Women’s marathon


The Northern Echo:

Richard Kilty (4x100m relay)
Hometown: Stockton
Age: 26
Previous Olympics: None

Renowned as an indoor specialist after his World and European titles over 60m, Kilty has struggled to translate his indoor form to the outdoor track and was unable to secure an individual sprinting spot.

However, he is an integral part of Britain’s sprint relay squad, which should be capable of challenging the established superpowers USA and Jamaica for a medal.

Competing: August 18 – 4x100m relay heats; August 19 – 4x100m relay final


The Northern Echo:

Laura Weightman (1,500m)
Hometown: Alnwick
Age: 25
Previous Olympics: London 2012 (9th in 1,500m final)

Having made the 1,500m final at the London Games, Weightman took a major step forward in the 2014 season when she won medals at the Commonwealth Games and European Championships.

Trained by Steve Cram, the Morpeth Harrier has fallen behind Laura Muir in the domestic pecking order, but still harbours realistic hopes of making another Olympic final in Rio.

Competing: August 12 – 1,500m heats; August 14 – 1,500m semi-finals; August 16 – 1,500m final


The Northern Echo:

RABAH YOUSIF (400m)
Hometown: Middlesbrough
Age: 29
Previous Olympics: London 2012 (400m semif-finals, competing for Sudan)

Yousif has been based on Teesside since switching nationality from Sudan to Great Britain in the wake of the 2012 Games, and has progressed dramatically in the last few years.

He made the final of last year’s World Championships, courtesy of a new personal best, and while he has not hit the same heights this season, it would not be a surprise to see him peaking in Rio.
 

BOXING

The Northern Echo:

Josh Kelly (Welterweight)
Hometown: Sunderland
Age: 22
Previous Olympics: None

Kelly was one of the last boxers to qualify for the British team in Rio, having briefly considered giving up the sport after he failed to make it through the first qualifying tournament at the end of last year.

He booked his spot at the World Olympic Qualifier, having proved his pedigree by winning a bronze medal at last year’s European Games in Baku.

Competing: August 6 – First round of boxing preliminaries
 

The Northern Echo:

Savannah Marshall (Middleweight)
Hometown: Hartlepool
Age: 25
Previous Olympics: London 2012 (lost in first round)

Marshall put the disappointment of her first-round defeat at the London Olympics behind her when she claimed a gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

She booked her Olympic spot when she made the semi-finals of the recent Women’s World Championships, and travels to Rio with a good chance of claiming a medal.

Competing: August 6 – First round of boxing preliminaries
 

The Northern Echo:

Pat McCormack (Light-welterweight)
Hometown: Washington
Age: 21
Previous Olympics: None

McCormack is regarded as one of the leading lights of the British boxing squad, and the Birtley ABC fighter will head to Rio with high hopes of making it onto the podium.

He lost to Welshman Joe Cordina in the first round of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, but claimed an English title and a European silver medal last year.

Competing: August 6 – First round of boxing preliminaries


DIVING

The Northern Echo:

Jack Laugher (3m springboard, 3m synchronised springboard)
Hometown: Ripon
Age: 21
Previous Olympics: London 2012 (Failed to qualify for final)

Having flopped at London 2012, Laugher has spent the last four years establishing himself as one of the world’s leading divers. As a result, he travels to Rio with high hopes of claiming a medal.

He won two gold medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and claimed two bronze medals at last year’s World Championships, and will once again team up with long-term partner Chris Mears in the synchro event.

Competing: August 10 – men’s synchronised 3m springboard; August 15 – men’s 3m springboard preliminaries; August 16 – men’s 3m springboard final


GYMNASTICS

The Northern Echo:

Amy Tinkler (Team and individual events)
Hometown: Bishop Auckland
Age: 16
Previous Olympics: None

Having only turned 16 last October, Tinkler, who is a member of South Durham Gymnastics Club, is the youngest member of Team GB.

She only progressed from the junior ranks less than two years ago, but has already claimed a team bronze medal at the World Championships and an individual all-around title at the English and British Championships.

Competing: August 7 – women’s team qualifying; August 9 – women’s team final; August 11-16 – women’s individual event finals


ROWING

The Northern Echo:

Kat Copeland (Women’s lightweight double sculls)
Hometown: Stokesley
Age: 25
Previous Olympics: London 2012 (Gold medal in lightweight double sculls)

Copeland became the first North-East woman to win an Olympic gold medal when she triumphed alongside Sophie Hosking at the London Games.

With Hosking having retired, she will team up with Charlotte Taylor in Rio, with the pair having won a silver medal at last year’s World Championships in France. Four years on from her breakthrough triumph, another gold medal is a definite possibility.

Competing: August 7 – Heats; August 8 – Repechage; August 10 – Semi-finals; August 12 – Final


The Northern Echo:

Jess Eddie (Women’s eight)
Hometown: Durham
Age: 31
Previous Olympics: Beijing 2008 (5th in women’s eight), London 2012 (5th in women’s eight)

Eddie is the most experienced of the North-East’s Olympians, with two previous Olympic appearances already under her belt.

The Durham ARC member was part of the eight that made the final at both Beijing and London, and there is a feeling that this year’s crew is Britain’s best entry in an Olympic eights event.

Competing: August 8 – Heats; August 10 – Repechage; August 13 – Final


The Northern Echo:

Will Fletcher (Men’s lightweight double sculls)
Hometown: Chester-le-Street
Age: 26
Previous Olympics: None

A former World Under-23 champion, Fletcher has made giant strides in the last couple of seasons, culminating in silver medals at both the World and European Championships last year.

He will team up with Richard Chambers, an Olympic medallist from 2012, in the lightweight double sculls, and the pair harbour realistic hopes of challenging for a medal in Rio.

Competing: August 7 – Heats; August 8 – Repechage; August 10 – Semi-finals; August 12 - Final


Zoe Lee (Women’s eight)
Hometown: Richmond
Age: 30
Previous Olympics: None

Lee has already had plenty to celebrate this year after successfully completing a PhD in Geography at King’s College, London, and the North Yorkshire rower will realise another ambition when she makes her maiden appearance at the Olympics.

An Oxford Blue and former World University champion, she helped the women’s eight claim a bronze medal at this year’s European Championships.

Competing: August 8 – Heats; August 10 – Repechage; August 13 – Final


RUGBY SEVENS

The Northern Echo:

Katy McLean (Women’s team)
Hometown: South Shields
Age: 30
Previous Olympics: None

Rugby sevens returns to the Olympic programme after an absence of 94 years, and McLean, who plays her club rugby for Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, is a key member of the women’s squad.

The fly-half was the skipper of England’s victorious World Cup-winning squad in 2014, and has spent the last year training as part of England’s full-time sevens squad in the South-East.

Competing: August 6-8 – Women’s rugby sevens tournament


SWIMMING 

The Northern Echo:

Aimee Willmott (400m Individual Medley, 200m Butterfly)
Hometown: Middlesbrough
Age: 23
Previous Olympics: London 2012 (11th in 400 IM)

Having made her Olympic debut in London, when she narrowly failed to make the 400m Individual Medley final, Willmott has spent the last four years cementing her place as one of the key members of the British team.

The Middlesbrough ASC member claimed two silver medals at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and will be targeting a final place in Rio, particularly in her preferred event of the medley.

Competing: August 6 – 400m Individual Medley Heats and Final; August 9 – 200m Butterfly Heats and Semi-Finals; August 10 – 200m Butterfly Final


TABLE TENNIS

The Northern Echo:

Paul Drinkhall (Men’s Individual and Team)
Hometown: Loftus
Age: 26
Previous Olympics: London 2012 (Last 32 of Individual)

Having competed at London 2012 thanks to a host-nation place, Drinkhall has done exceedingly well to qualify outright for this month’s Games.

The British number one won a Commonwealth gold in the mixed doubles, and also helped the English team claim a notable bronze medal at last year’s World Team Championships. He will compete in the individual and team events in Rio.

Competing: August 6 – Start of preliminary rounds


TRAMPOLINE

The Northern Echo:

Kat Driscoll (Individual event)
Hometown: West Rainton
Age: 30
Previous Olympics: London 2012 (9th in Individual event)

Four years ago, Driscoll missed out on qualifying for the Olympic final by one place, and the 30-year-old, who is a member of the Apollo Trampoline Club in Washington, is determined to put that right in Rio.

She has enjoyed a hugely successful last four years, winning gold at the World Games, team gold at the World Championships and an individual bronze medal at this year’s European Championships.

Competing: August 12 – Preliminaries and Final